


Granted Wishes

by Janieohio



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Background Relationships, Birthday, Drabble, Facebook: Hermione's Nook, Fluff, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:49:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25557622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Janieohio/pseuds/Janieohio
Summary: Sometimes it takes a friend to help you see what you have what you've always wished for. Drabble for Hermione's Nook Birthday Celebration.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom & Harry Potter
Comments: 14
Kudos: 22
Collections: Harry & Neville's Birthday Celebration





	Granted Wishes

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Hermione's Nook FB group for putting on a little Harry and Neville birthday celebration. This is written for that celebration, and my random word prompt was: "Granted". Happy Birthday, Harry and Neville!

“Hey, Nev…” Harry murmured thoughtfully from the grass where he and Neville lay looking up at the late July sky. Positioned, as they were, on the bank overlooking the swimming pond at the Burrow, they could see their friends splashing, yelling, and generally enjoying the hot summer day.

Neville looked over towards Harry, his light brown hair catching the sun. “Yeah, Harry?”

Harry gave a little sigh as he decided to voice his musings. “What were your birthdays like when you were growing up?” 

Neville considered while Harry waited patiently, knowing that his friend liked to think about his answers before responding. Harry felt the sweat dripping down his chest from the hot sun, and after what felt like several minutes, Neville answered. “Quiet, I suppose. Usually, it was just me and Gran, though sometimes my uncle might join us. Gran generally got me two gifts; something useful, like a school book or a new cloak, and something that I wanted, generally a new toy or an interesting plant as I got older. We’d eat dinner together — the house-elves would always make my favourite dinner, whatever that happened to be at the time — then Gran would take me to see my parents. She said they’d want to see me on that day, but... Well, you know they don’t recognise me, but I always imagined that they might be different on that day…since it was my birthday.” He fell into silence.

Harry nodded, pondering what that must have been like — to have a family that cared, but to still be alone. They continued to watch their friends in the water, and Harry smiled to see their light-hearted playfulness as he watched Hermione attack Ron in retribution for some unknown misdeed. He knew he could join them; it was _his_ birthday, after all, that they were all there to celebrate. Well, his and Neville’s, though Neville’s had been the previous day. But something held him back, held him separate. Neville seemed to feel it too. 

“Harry,” Neville said, a hint of a question in his voice. “If you could wish for anything for your birthday, anything at all, what would it be?”

Harry thought about it, remembering all of Dudley’s birthdays, and those of his friends during his years at Hogwarts, and finally, his own, most of them spent alone, locked in a room. 

Then he looked out at his friends. So much of the summer had been spent in mourning. Mourning for Fred, and for Remus and Tonks and Moody and Sirius and Colin and so many more. But for this day, they were happy. They were free to be kids, splashing and flirting and playing in a swimming hole. 

“This,” Harry murmured. “This is what I’d wish for.” 

Neville smiled and stood up, then held out his hand to Harry, pulling him up. “Granted,” Neville said, then pulled him with him to the pond to join their friends. 

As Harry jumped in and Ginny swam over, wrapping herself around him, then pushing him into a dunk, Harry let himself relax. It was his eighteenth birthday, and his wish had been granted. It might not look exactly like he’d always imagined, but it was good, and it was _r_ _eal._


End file.
